11/05/26, reduce petrol and diesel consumption

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, called on citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption, avoid unnecessary foreign travel, cut edible oil usage and postpone gold purchases for a year, saying the ongoing West Asia conflict and global supply chain disruptions were putting pressure on India's economy and foreign exchange reserves.

Addressing public meetings in Secunderabad, PM Modi said India needed collective public participation to minimise the impact of rising global fuel and fertiliser prices caused by international conflicts.

use petrol, gas, diesel and such things with great restraint. We have to use imported petro products only as per need. This will not only save foreign exchange but reduce the adverse impact of war,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister said patriotism was not only about sacrificing one's life for the country, but also about fulfilling responsibilities during difficult economic conditions.

“In this time of global crisis, we have to make a resolution keeping duty paramount and fulfil it with complete dedication,” he said.

Calling for a nationwide movement towards fuel conservation, PM Modi urged people living in cities with metro rail networks to prioritise public transport and reduce dependence on private vehicles.

“A big resolution is to use petrol and diesel sparingly. We must curb our use of petrol and diesel. In cities with metro lines, we should decide to travel by metro only. If we must use a car, then we should try to carpool,” he said.

The Prime Minister also encouraged greater use of electric vehicles and railway transportation for goods movement to reduce fuel consumption.

“People with electric vehicles should try to use them as much as possible,” he said.

PM Modi further suggested reviving work-from-home arrangements, online meetings and virtual conferences that became common during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“During the Corona period, we developed many systems of work from home, online meetings and video conferences, and we even became accustomed to them. Today, the demands of the times are such that if we restart these systems, it will be in the national interest,” he said.

“We must prioritise work from home, online conferences and virtual meetings again. We must also place a strong emphasis on saving foreign exchange, as petrol and diesel have become so expensive globally,” he added.

In a significant appeal to the middle class, PM Modi asked citizens to postpone foreign vacations, overseas weddings and non-essential international travel for at least one year to help conserve foreign exchange reserves.

“The growing culture of weddings abroad, travelling abroad and vacationing abroad is becoming prevalent among the middle class. We must decide that during this time of crisis, we should postpone travelling abroad for at least a year,” he said.

The Prime Minister also urged people to avoid purchasing gold for a year, saying gold imports heavily impact India's forex reserves.

“Gold purchases are another area where foreign exchange is used extensively. In the national interest, we must resolve not to purchase gold for a year, no matter how many functions we have scheduled at home,” he said.